Branches
by Lieju
Summary: Sabrina had never really had friends before Erika. So she doesn't really know what to think when her feelings towards Erika start to change. Sabrina/Erika, based on the games more than the anime.
1. Chapter 1

_Fandom:Pokemon (Based on the games)_

 _Pairing: Erika/Sabrina_

 _Word Count: 900_

 _Written for femslash bingo._

Erika sighed, for what seemed like the thousandth time.

It had seemed like such a wonderful idea: take the shortcut through the Viridian Forest to Route 16, and then she'd practically be back home in Celadon City. It would be a nice little trip, maybe she could even catch a Grass-type Pokemon or two.

But the surprisingly dense mazelike forest had proved out to be a challenge. The undergrowth was thick, and she had quickly congratulated herself on choosing to wear shorts instead one of her dresses. But as comfy and easy to wear as the khaki shorts might have been when running around on the streets or well-maintained paths, here in the dense undergrowth she found herself wishing she would have chosen to wear long trousers instead.

And there were bugs everywhere. She had been expecting far wonderful Grass-pokemon, not hives of Weedles. Or mosquitoes. Occasionally she'd take her Victreebel out, and at least she got fed...

But Erika's feet hurt, she was exhausted, a little bit lost, and starting to hope she had Pokemon that were big enough to ride. Or even ones that could fly her away, as much as she disliked the flying-type Pokemon that just lacked that certain kind of natural charm...

She patted her Tangela, and smiled. At least she had her, and other trusty Grass-type Pokemon who'd help her clear the way in this pathless jungle. She was starting to realize why no-one ever took this shortcut...

At least her Pokemon kept her on course. She could count on them being in their element.

Even though Erika herself was starting to realize she maybe appreciated nicely managed and kept nature more than this... wild mess.

Finally, she staggered onto the road.

"Thank you," she told her Tangela, summoning her back into a Pokeball. "You can rest now."

Unfortunately, she wouldn't be able to relax just yet.

Erika started to walk towards the North, on the mostly abandoned road. Occasionally a cyclist would pass her by, but cars were rare in Kanto. So it was somewhat of a surprise when a truck going in the same direction as her appeared and slowed down.

And the identity of the driver was even more of a surprise.

"Sabrina!"

The fellow Gym Leader nodded wordlessly.

The truck door opened seemingly by itself, which Erika took as an invitation. She climbed in.

"Thanks. You drive?"

She hadn't even known the psychic ever left her gym except for the rare meetings she had to participate in due to her position.

Sabrina nodded, keeping her eyes on the road. "I had business in Fuschia City."

"Ah."

Erika stretched on the seat, enjoying the opportunity to rest her legs.

She eyed the driver. Wasn't she too warm in that outfit? Although she looked nice, Erika was starting to feel self-conscious about her untidy clothing and scraped knees.

Of course when she'd meet Sabrina outside of Indigo League business it was be when she looked like this.

Actually-

"Why were you in Fuschia City?" she broke the silence. "On a car?" She recalled the psychic simply teleporting away from the meetings, and it _was_ a coincidence...

Sabrina didn't look to her. Instead she stopped the car.

Erika wondered if she had offended her somehow.

"Was it fun? Your trek through the Viridian forest?"

It took a moment for Erika to pick up what her tone of voice was. It wasn't anger... Not just anger anyway. She almost sounded _worried._

"Fun?"

Sabrina glanced at Erika's scraped knees. "You're fine? There are many poisonous and venomous creatures in that forest."

"I had Antidotes on me. Besides, I had my Pokemon with me, there was no danger."

"Of course."

Sabrina started the car again, and the trip continued in silence.

On the other hand it was a relief when Celadon City came to view, but on the other hand Erika was not planning on leaving the car before she had it all figured out. She wasn't even sure why she was bothered by this, she _did_ enjoy Sabrina's company...

"I never mentioned I was walking through the forest."

"It was obvious."

Erika could spot a frown on the usually expressionless face. Maybe it had been an easy guess, but it felt like she was close to figuring something out.

"Did you know I was in the forest?"

That certainly was not out of the realm of possibility. She was a psychic, after all, but it didn't explain why she had apparently gone through the trouble of taking the trip there just to come and get Erika and give her a lift home.

"You possess some kind of psychic power I have never sensed in anyone," Sabrina told her.

"Excuse me?"

"You appear in my thoughts and dreams, and sometimes in visions. And when I'm close to you..."

The car stopped.

"This is your stop, isn't it?"

That snapped Erika out of her reverie. "What?"

But Sabrina was right, they were in front of her gym.

The door on the passenger's side opened, and Erika spoke up, afraid she'd be pushed out if she tried to stay in the car.

"So, thanks."

Sabrina nodded.

"Would you like to come and visit my gym sometimes? We have flower-arranging classes."

"That would be nice."

The small smile that barely tugged on the psychic's lips was returned thousandfold.

"It's agreed, then."


	2. Chapter 2

_Fandom:Pokemon (Based on the games)_

 _Pairing: Erika/Sabrina, continuation to this._

 _Word Count: 2000_

 _Written for femslash bingo, from friends to lovers._

Sabrina leaned closer to Erika, trying to focus on what the Grass type specialist was telling her about flower-arranging.

Sabrina enjoyed her company, but somehow being close to her also made it so difficult to focus...

The psychic wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that it seemed like she didn't really pick up much from Erika. When in the company of most people, there was a certain kind of static they were broadcasting from their mind that got annoying eventually. That's why she usually preferred the company of fellow psychics who were accustomed to controlling their emotions and building walls around their minds.

And yet she didn't find Erika's company annoying, and had come to visit her several times now.

She tensed as Erika took hold of her hand. The other woman seemed to notice that and let go.

"I'm fine", Sabrina assured her. "You were saying..?"

Erika handed her a leaf. "These are leaves shed by Oddish, a Grass and Poison type. When doing flower arranging the secondary type of the Grass _Pokémo_ n is key."

Sabrina took the leaves. "Poison?" The leaves seemed fresh and green, and there was a faint slightly bitter smell in them. Odd but not uncomfortable.

"There's no poison in these leaves. But they were freshly shed by a young Oddish. In a day or two they will wither, but for now they can be used to represent the passage of time. You can see how shiny and green they are? It's a sign of a healthy Oddish, one that has plenty of nutrients and can afford to shed such healthy leaves to grow new ones."

Sabrina stared at the three twigs poked in sand. "So I put them there? Hang them in this?"

"But keep in mind what they mean to you. The meaning and balance is key."

Sabrina stared at the leaves. All she could think of was Erika. And how she had taken care of this small Oddish...

"What about Grass and Psychic types? Exeggutor?" she asked.

"I can try getting you some leaves, but catching Exeggutors is difficult."

"I have one, I could get them for you", Sabrina offered.

Erika smiled. "I appreciate the offer, but getting leaves that suit flower arranging requires work. You need to keep a certain diet for the Pokemon..."

Sabrina bit her lip. It had been stupid of her to even offer. She probed with her mind, looking for possible futures. If she'd offer to lend her Exeggutor to Erika... No, she couldn't see her agreeing to take the Pokemon, surely she'd just be offended. Better not to even ask.

She tried to focus on Erika again.

"So the cotton from Jumpluff can be used to represent the sky and flying types, and how you position it has an effect on how the piece reflects the duality of earth and the sky."

Sabrina nodded. A ball of cotton was handed to her.

She stared at it.

"Go on, just position it the way you feel is right", Erika adviced her. "There are no wrong answers."

Sabrina knew that was a lie. There would always be wrong answers. Possibilities that would lead to disastrous outcomes. Why did this feel so important now? It wasn't like she was holding anyone's life in her hands...

But what if she'd put them on there all wrong?

She set them down, unable to see the any positive outcome in the futures presented for her. "I should go."

Before Erika could protest Sabrina had taken her Abra out and teleported away from there.

* * *

Sabrina sat in her meditation room and cleared her mind, raising the mental walls around her thoughts, separating herself from the surrounding world. She needed to calm down.

She drifted deeper inside her own mind in her meditation, until she could barely feel her body anymore. She focused on her self.

She was not alone.

The shock almost made her open her eyes before she got her body under control.

Focus.

But her mind had been thrown off by the other presence. She focused on the intruder, and could practically smell the scent of flowers.

This time she opened her eyes, certain that the other woman was in the room with her.

But she was alone.

Doing her best to calm down Sabrina attempted to enter trance again. She had to understand what this was...

It wasn't Erika, she wasn't actually in her mind. But she was preoccupied in her thoughts. Maybe she missed her? Maybe she couldn't help thinking back to the earlier events?

Sabrina visualized the room she was in, and accepted the fact she wanted Erika to be there. If the flower girl would be there with her, that would be nice. Sabrina could teach her meditation, maybe. Return the favour.

She let her mind wander, imagining Erika there with her, in one of her beautiful kimonos. She'd sit next to her, lean on her so she could feel her body against-

Sabrina retreated from the daydream, face red.

But now that she thought about it, she wanted to touch her, to kiss her, to-

Sabrina forced herself to calm down. She visualized the wall around her, being built, brick by brick, until it circled her. The psychic energy crackled around her. She reached for a spoon, to focus her powers and direct them to something.

The spoon snapped in half as soon as she touched it.

She picked another one. She needed to focus.

The metal twisted in her hand, bending... Flattening...

She stared at the spoon taking the shape of a silvery leaf. She hadn't tried to do this.

She breathed in and out, focusing on nothing more than her own body. She was starting to realize what kind of effect Erika had on her, and it scared her.

* * *

"Hello."

Erika tried to avoid sighing in relief. At least Sabrina was finally picking the phone up.

"So, how have you been?" she asked, trying to sound as neutral as she could.

"Why are you calling?"

Not hostile, as such. But cold. Erika was used to that tone of voice, but she had started to wish the times there had been that certain softness in her tone had been a sign of something more...

She closed her eyes, trying to focus. She was getting distracted, thinking of possibilities that would not-

"You promised to visit Lavender Town with me", she reminded her.

Part of Erika felt bad about this. If she was pushing the psychic out of her comfort zone... But she had to see her.

"Very well", came the reply. "When?"

* * *

Erika lit up another incense. Sabrina stood there, keeping an eye on any wandering spirits.

But as she stared at Erika working, setting down the sweet smelling incense to calm the spirits, she became spell bound because of it and didn't notice the presence creeping up on her.

 _It will never happen._

Sabrina stiffened. A ghost. She took out her _Poké Ball_. These were wild ghosts, she could be able to vanquish them with even a Kadabra.

 _She will never be yours._

Sabrina let out an uncharacteristic squeak, and a blast of pure mental energy from her was launched into a Gastly.

"Sabrina!?" Erika stood up.

"Don't!" Sabrina warned her. Not because of the ghost that had fainted screaming, but for her-

Ignoring her warnings, Erika ran to her. "Are you okay?"

After a stern nod from the psychic, Erika turned her attention to the floating ghost and threw a _Poké Ball_ at it. There was no twitch of a _Poké Ball_ , as the ghost was immediately trapped.

Erika picked the ball up. "We need to head to the _Poké_ centre! I assume they have expertise in treating ghost types in Lavender Town?"

Sabrina stared. She had been obvious. The ghost had picked it all up, and it'd tell Erika-

"Sabrina!"

That snapped her out of it, and she nodded. "Yes, of course, we'll need to get it treated."

* * *

"So, what happened back there? Do you want to talk about it?"

Sabrina lifted her head to face Erika. They were sitting in a secluded room in the Lavender City _Poké_ centre, waiting for the _Poké_ mon to be healed.

"I over reacted", Sabrina stated.

"The Gastly will be fine."

"Good. But this was... I over reacted."

She looked Erika in the eye. "It was because of you."

It sounded accusatory even in her mind, and Sabrina realized it was intended as such. She wanted Erika out of her life. That would be better. For everyone. Wouldn't it?

She was so uncertain around Erika. Usually she could read people like open books, even when not using her psychic powers. But now... If she walked out and never saw Erika, what would happen?

All the visions of every future involving Erika were... Nonexistent. So she would cut all contact. It was inevitable.

"I make you nervous?"

Erika sat next to Sabrina, handing her a juice box.

"Yes." Sabrina took the box but didn't open it.

She still had no idea... But what if she'd push Erika as far as possible? Show her what kind of person she really was?

"That's not completely true. You make me calm, and nice, and you don't stress me out like most humans do, because of this calmness around you, but lately... My emotions have gone... Unexpected things have happened. I love you."

She hadn't been certain of that until she had said it out loud. She loved Erika.

And when Erika responded with a smile, Sabrina's heart jumped.

But when Erika lifted a hand to stroke her cheek, Sabrina flinched.

Erika drew her hand away. "Sabrina, I have loved you for a long time. I wasn't sure what kind of love it was at first but-"

Each word was like a stab right into Sabrina's heart.

"This won't work."

"How do you know that? Your psychic powers? They have been wrong before."

Sabrina shook her head. "It's not like that. With those cases I saw something. With this it's just... Nothing."

Erika reached slowly to stroke her cheek and pulled their foreheads together. "Nothing?"

Sabrina tried to clear her mind.

Her and Erika...

She focused.

She didn't see a future for them.

She opened her eyes. "I see nothing."

"Not even it all failing? Because I'm willing to try."

Sabrina realized something at that. That she hadn't been willing to try. She played with the idea. If she kissed Erika right now-

 _A flash of them holding hands, walking on a beach._

Sabrina's breath hitched. She hadn't dared to hope Erika could return her feelings. What would she think of her if she knew what kind of thoughts she had had of her?

 _An image of warm naked body next to her, asleep after-_

But what if she would hurt her? If her emotions would-

 _Images of them side by side, Erika there when she was having a hard day, she substituting for Erika when she was ill. A series of images, branching possible futures, in some they broke up, but there were- her and Erika getting married, children, whose children they were, it couldn't be-_

Sabrina opened her eyes, disoriented at the different possibilities.

"Are you okay?"

Slowly, Sabrina reached towards the other woman and their lips met in a kiss.

There was warmth there she had never known before, like a veil lifting to reveal things she had denied even as possibilities.

And she allowed herself to believe in a future with Erika.


End file.
